Real Valladolid vs Valencia

Relegation-threatened Real Valladolid and 13th-placed Valencia will face each other in a bottom-half La Liga six-pointer at the Estadio José Zorrilla.

Only three points separate the sides ahead of the kick-off, meaning Valladolid could finish this matchday outside the drop zone if they arrest a disastrous 12-game winless H2H run against Valencia in La Liga (D5, L7). However, that’s a daunting task, considering they’ve failed to get on the scoresheet in three of their last four top-flight H2Hs on home turf (D2, L2), which has been the case in two consecutive home league outings in the lead-up to this fixture (L2). Much of Valladolid’s form woes can be put down to their traditionally abysmal starts, as they start this round as the only La Liga side yet to score within the opening 15 minutes of play.

In the meantime, after back-to-back one-goal margin defeats upon the resumption of La Liga in December, Valencia could only manage a 2-2 home draw against promoted Almeria last time out. At the risk of being dragged down into the relegation battle, ‘Los Che’ will turn to their impressive nine-game unbeaten top-flight run away to Valladolid (W5, D4) for inspiration. But Gennaro Gattuso’s men have played below every expectation on the road this term, picking up just one win on their seven league travels (D3, L3). Adding to Gattuso’s concerns, his charges have yet to keep a clean sheet away from home in the 2022/23 La Liga season.